


Our Southern Cross Will Guide Us On

by live_laugh_read



Series: Billabong Missing Moments [9]
Category: Billabong Series - Mary Grant Bruce
Genre: F/M, Gen, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-07
Updated: 2016-03-07
Packaged: 2018-05-25 07:33:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6186022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/live_laugh_read/pseuds/live_laugh_read
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On the night of 11 March 1923, Wally Meadows looks to his deceased parents, brother and the Southern Cross for guidance as he steps up to fatherhood, at last.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Our Southern Cross Will Guide Us On

Wally leaned on the verandah railing as the shadows lengthened, looking up at the ever-darkening sky. It was a completely ordinary day, to any other folk; but to him, and to Norah, the eleventh of March would forever be their son’s birthday. 

Above him, the Southern Cross glittered, a beacon of hope and liberty for Australians. In a moment of impulse, Wally’s head went down to the railing, and he whispered, “Oh God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come - help me, guide me. Give me the strength to be the best husband I can be to Norah, the best father I can be to Davie. Amen.” 

He looked up at the Southern Cross again, and imagined his parents and his brother Edward smiling down on him. He had but vague memories of his mother and father, the parents who had gone away to Heaven when he was three. There were photos, of the two of them on their wedding-day, and of them on horseback on the run in Queensland. 

Those aside, he had a fleeting memory of one bright day in Queensland, of his mother laughing at something his father had said at breakfast. Helen Meadows had passed on her black hair and dark eyes to her youngest son, while Wally had inherited his father’s build, tall and lean. 

Those parents would be proud of their boy, who had grown up straight and clean and honest. Not without help, he had forged a life, finding his path and his place in the world - and right now, he had been set on a new journey, one that would last forever. 

Wally glanced down at his hands, fingers linked together on the railing. In the moonlight, his gold wedding ring caught the light, his promise of forever to his wife. It was impossible for him to put into words the depth of his love for Norah, but he always made sure never to go a day without letting her know how much she was loved. And tonight, all his success had become nobleness - she had given him a son.

They were sleeping now, inside. Davie was in his new cradle, while Norah had fallen asleep in hers and Wally’s bed, her brown hair spread across the white pillows, the painful lines on her face smoothed out and her body having been cleaned of sweat. It had been a twelve-hour labour, and she had endured it like a champion - Wally had never been prouder of her than he was that day, as her hand gripped his tightly and her grey eyes, full of pain, had searched his for reassurance. 

What would stick in his memory forever was Norah, covered in sweat and hair falling around her shoulders, reaching with shaking arms for their son, drawing him close to her chest and looking down at him as her shoulders shook, letting out all her emotion by sobbing. She had looked up at Wally, and he had kissed her, murmuring over and over again, “Thank you, thank you.”

Norah had smiled at him, whispering, “I love you so much,” while shifting Davie to one arm and slipping her free hand into his own as he sat down beside her, sliding an arm across her shoulders and drawing her into him.

Years ago, upon meeting her for the first time when he was fourteen and she was twelve, he had never thought he would love Norah as much as he did now. It made his heart ache sometimes, as if it would burst with love, when he looked over at her and saw her eyes dance as she laughed at something, or when her hand closed over his tightly, saying that she would be there always. She - and now, their son - meant everything to him: he would fight as long as he lived to keep his family close. 

Wally pushed off the railing, turning to go inside. He paused in the open window, watching as the moonlight fell on his wife. One and a half years they had been married, and those had been the best eighteen months of his life. 

Almost as if she sensed his presence, Norah rolled over and opened her eyes a crack, squinting in the moonlight, and whispered hoarsely, “Wally?” 

He went to her, letting himself drop to the bed beside her, and immediately she curled into him. Instinctively, his arms came around her, one across her shoulders and the other across her back, as if to protect her. “Everything okay, Nor?”

She nodded drowsily, on the verge of sleep. “Everything hurts, but I really can't bring myself to care.” 

“Go to sleep,” Wally said, tenderness ringing in every word. “I'll fight the bad dreams off.” 

His wife chuckled, leaning up to press a kiss to his jaw before settling back against him. Presently her body relaxed as she descended into sleep, but Wally lay awake.

Today had opened up a whole new world for him and Norah. They were no longer simply ‘Mr and Mrs Walter Meadows’ — they were now also ‘Mother and Dad’. 

What made him love Norah all the more was that she had known of his long-held dream to be a father, and so it was with quiet pride and happiness that she had informed him she was pregnant, six months ago. He had been afraid at first, knowing how her mother had died giving birth to her, but she had told him that whatever the cost, she would give him his dream — she would give him their child.

He had nearly broken down there and then, overcome with emotion. He had caught Norah into his arms and kissed her deeply, and then they had simply stood together for some time, wrapped in each other’s arms.

Six months later, their son was in their lives. When she laid eyes on him for the first time, Norah, overcome with emotion, had choked out, “He looks like you, Wally - oh, thank God!” 

Now Davie slept in his cradle, and Wally lay in bed with his wife in his arms, and he was blest evermore. He was a stockrider, and he had married the best woman on earth, and they had a son together. 

Life had just begun.

**Author's Note:**

> It would have been a really emotional night when Davie was born, and for Wally, who grew up pretty much emancipated from his blood family, his parents far away and long since gone, Davie would be someone he shared blood with. Someone who relied on him, and depended on him. On top of that, Norah obviously went through quite a bit of pain and suffering, in order to deliver Davie - we know she didn't ride for months afterward, possibly because she was still recovering or because she just didn't have the time - and that would not have gone unnoticed by her husband. If anything, he would love her more than he ever thought he could.


End file.
